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French classicism

Order, clarity and the ideal landscape in seventeenth-century France.

29 works · hang 33 ·

The rooms are imagined; every work on their walls is real.

Walk this roomRehang this room

First room, north wall

  1. The Abduction of the Sabine Women, by Nicolas Poussin, probably 1633–34
    The Abduction of the Sabine WomenNicolas Poussin, probably 1633–34Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. Nymphs and a Satyr (Amor Vincit Omnia), by Nicolas Poussin, c. 1625–27
    Nymphs and a Satyr (Amor Vincit Omnia)Nicolas Poussin, c. 1625–27Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art

First room, south wall

  1. The Holy Family on the Steps, by Nicolas Poussin, 1648
    The Holy Family on the StepsNicolas Poussin, 1648Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. A work made of oil on canvas.
    Peasant Family at a WellThe Master of the Children's Caps, 1650/60Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. A work made of engraving and etching on ivory laid paper.
    The Wise and Foolish Virgins, plate fiveAbraham Bosse, 1635Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

Second room, south wall

  1. The image shows an etching of a rural landscape with trees obscuring the horizon. In the distance, there is a cart on a winding path with a person walking beside it. Closer to the viewer, there is a person with a child under a tree, accompanied by a small dog. The artwork features fine and detailed brushwork with cross-hatching for texture and shadows. The color scheme is monochromatic in muted browns, emphasizing details and creating a peaceful scene under soft light filtered through the trees. The trees form a canopy framing the serene setting.
    Edge of a Wood with Peasants Going to MarketJean MorinCourtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. This is a drawing of a busy street scene with architectural structures and various figures. It depicts a large open area bordered by a grand building to the left and a rounded tower or structure to the right. The left side of the scene is lined with stairs leading up to an elevated walkway or platform, where people are gathered. In the middle and to the right, a crowd has formed, encompassing the space in front of the tower. Various individuals, some wearing distinctive headgear, are seen mingling and gesturing. The architectural details in the background, such as the windows and brickwork of the tower, frame the scene below. A hand-operated apparatus extends from the tower, possibly for lifting goods or supplies. The drawing captures a dynamic urban moment.
    The Slave MarketJacques Callot, 1620Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. The image depicts a landscape viewed from a slightly elevated angle. On the left side, there is a large tree with a twisted trunk and dense foliage. A winding path can be seen with a figure walking with a dog. In the distance, a river winds through the land, and there are rolling hills and trees in the background. The color scheme is sepia-toned.
    Hilly Landscape with Travelers on FootJean MorinCourtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  4. The image is a landscape view with a natural scene depicted in fine etching. The horizon is situated towards the middle of the composition, where the land gently rises, and a subtle outline of distant hills is visible. Large rocks and foliage are depicted close to us, with a lone, barren tree extending upwards on the left side. The etching features intricate and well-defined brushstrokes, including thin lines and cross-hatching to create texture and depth. The color palette is monochromatic, with dark tones against a lighter background. In the distance, additional clusters of trees can be seen, rendered with similar linework to convey movement and detail.
    A Rocky PondLaurent de La Hyre, 1640Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Second room, north wall

  1. The Jabach Family, by Charles Le Brun, ca. 1660
    The Jabach FamilyCharles Le Brun, ca. 1660Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. A work made of black chalk, with touches of white chalk, on cream laid paper.
    A ProcessionAmbroise Dubois, c. 1610Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

Third room, north wall

  1. Blind Orion Searching for the Rising Sun, by Nicolas Poussin, 1658
    Blind Orion Searching for the Rising SunNicolas Poussin, 1658Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. Portrait of Charlotte Duchesne, by Philippe de Champaigne, ca. 1628
    Portrait of Charlotte DuchesnePhilippe de Champaigne, ca. 1628Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  3. A work made of oil on panel.
    MeeknessEustache Le Sueur, 1650Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

Third room, south wall

  1. Samson, by Valentin de Boulogne, 1630–31
    SamsonValentin de Boulogne, 1630–31Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. An elderly woman sits on a small stool and four children stand along the foreground of a landscape with rolling, olive-green fields leading back to low, slate-gray mountains in this nearly square painting. The horizon comes about halfway up the painting, and the sky above is filled with a sheet of steel-gray clouds that break to reveal patches of ice-blue sky. Closest to us and along the left edge of the painting, the woman sits near a structure with a fragment of wall and a column that could be made from tan-colored stone. The woman faces our right in profile and looks at or toward three children gathered on a low hill to our right. Her lined face is partially cast in shadow by her white bonnet, but her skin is yellowed where the light falls across the side closer to us. A wide, white collar lies over the shoulders of her muted, plum-purple jacket, which is tied with a narrow red belt. Her hands rest in the lap of her full, moss-green skirt that falls to her feet and covers most of the stool. To our right, two boys and a little girl stand on a low hill. They all stand with their bodies angled to our right, and all have pale skin and brown hair. To our left in the trio, the young girl wears a royal-blue dress with brick-red, long sleeves and a wide, white collar, cuffs, and cap. Next to her, a slightly older boy wearing gray knee-britches, a honey-orange jacket with a white collar, and a blue tricorn hat looks down and plays a thin pipe. His jacket is torn at the elbows, revealing a red shirt beneath. To our right, the oldest boy wears a brown cloak over a gray jacket, tan trousers, and a tan brimmed hat. He holds his right arm, closer to us, across his chest as he touches an instrument nestled in the crook of his other elbow. Another bareheaded boy wearing a red shirt and blue trousers walks beyond this trio, holding a short pole over one shoulder and a brimmed hat in his other hand. He walks to our left and looks to the horizon. More people with sheep, cows, and a person on horseback dot the rolling fields that stretch back to low hills. One house sits next to a line of trees to the left of center, in the middle distance, and more buildings, including a church spire, cluster on the horizon to our right.
    Landscape with PeasantsLouis Le Nain, c. 1640Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington